


No Matter How Long

by Earthflyer



Category: Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:22:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27949769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthflyer/pseuds/Earthflyer
Summary: Iroha confesses; Yachiyo declines
Relationships: Nanami Yachiyo/Tamaki Iroha
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	1. The Date

"This is a great place, interesting choice,"

Yachiyo made a show of looking around the restaurant in an attempt to calm her obviously nervous dinner partner before settling her gaze on a loose strand of hair that rested gently against her neck.

"Oh. Uhm… Yeah," Iroha responded noncommittally, looking everywhere but the other woman's face and reaching for the wine she'd ordered for the two of them.

If she was going to continue being mysterious, then it was time to look for more information; Putting together clues was something she had skill with after all.

Last week, Iroha asked her out to dinner, and for once the other girls didn't ask to join in. Yachiyo had been looking forward to having some time together for a while and failed to ask for details in the moment.

This restaurant was on the expensive side; The decor was classy and one of the big draws was a large aquarium that illuminated one end of the restaurant. It was a place they'd been before together as a family, but only on special occasions.

Possible answers floated through her mind; Could it be some good news? Perhaps that she'd been accepted to that nursing school she applied to not so long ago… But surely she would've invited everyone.

Her gaze trailed downwards along the necklace Iroha wore. It was a chain fine enough to dip as it passed over her exposed collarbone.

"Hm," Without meaning to, she made a quiet hum of appreciation and reached for her own wine glass.

Since it was such an upscale place, they'd both dressed up a bit for the occasion; Iroha's hair was up in an elaborate bun and her makeup matched the effort. The only downside appeared to be she was wearing an outfit she wasn't used to. The brilliant red dress she wore was rather form-fitting, and she kept shifting her legs under the table to rest comfortably.

Iroha rarely, if ever, presented herself like this and she looked quite elegant and flashy compared to the cute and comfortable clothes she normally opted for. Yachiyo hoped it wasn't the last time she'd attempt the bold look. Now that she was really thinking about it, the dress she wore looked familiar…

"Uhm... Listen, I…" Iroha looked up at Yachiyo before noticing her partner was distracted and losing to her nerves again.

...Of course! There was the additional company she spotted on the way to their table; The restaurant was busy, but it was hard to miss Mitama, Momoko, and Tsuruno just out of earshot and still within eyesight. They waved in a friendly way after catching Yachiyo's eye. Momoko gave a bewildering thumbs up-

"Yachiyo?"

-Apparently meant for her dinner partner, and not herself. The clues were coming together in a sinister way.

The fact was impossible to ignore; Certain people enjoyed generating romantic interest between Iroha and herself for easy amusement. It was difficult to forget the playful shoves and innuendo that had seemed to only increase with time, especially with Mitama leading the gang. Iroha was a favorite target of their teasing because she was consistently bothered by it. It was admittedly entertaining; When her reaction wasn’t yelling out or stuttering, it was turning a color comparable to a ripe tomato.

Getting the two alone, the intimate atmosphere, and the way they'd dressed up their victim… This latest prank had been a long time coming it seemed. Well, Iroha needn't worry, the tables would be turned this time!

Yachiyo frowned at the group before turning to Iroha and winking at her. She froze and turned an light pink.

"Iroha…"

Confident the unruly group of three would stop her before she went too far, Yachiyo made a mischievous glance at the group before adjusting herself to slowly lean towards Iroha as if to kiss her. Perhaps she, too, could see the fun in teasing the other magical girl.

Yachiyo carefully watched the expressions of the possible masterminds for tension as she continued to inch closer; They looked… Surprised?

Apprehension struck her.

_...Are they not going to stop me?_

Suddenly, something soft and warm met her lips.

Iroha's lips, to be precise.

Yachiyo was so stunned by the action that Iroha was the first to pull away. Not before an additional sensation graced her bottom lip-

_Was that her tongue?_

Iroha returned to her seat, looking to have regained her courage. Yachiyo slowly did the same, lightly touching her lips. Her attention was fully on Iroha at last.

Yachiyo opened her mouth, but closed it again shortly after, apparently unable to form a comprehensive thought to share.

Iroha, on the other hand, had plenty to say.

“What was that?” Her tone was level, but her expression showed irritation… And cheeks a darker tint than the color she started the evening with.

It was Yachiyo's turn to stumble over her words after removing her fingers from her lips, “You… You kissed me,”

Iroha's anger changed her tone, "Yes. Isn’t that what you wanted?" It sounded cold.

The other woman hid her face in her hands for a moment, seeking to reset her nerves before speaking, "I’m… Sorry. I thought this was some kind of… prank? I didn't intend to go through with it," She added quickly.

"Why would you think that?" She’d leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms as if interrogating a child, but the color of her face betrayed her.

Defensiveness took over, "I thought…! Mitama, and your outfit- "

The latter comment startled her out of the dominant air she’d taken returning her to a shy expression.

She paused before responding, "I asked Mitama what kind of outfit she thought you might like,"

_What I'd like…?_

It was Iroha's turn for a reset; She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders, resuming the look of someone who’d just won a fight with their own thoughts.

"Yachiyo, I invited you here because I wanted to tell you I have feelings for you."

There it was, that blunt honesty that Yachiyo so loved about her. Iroha looked down only for a moment, returning her gaze to the other woman's face with conviction.

"I'm in love with you,"

_Oh._

Coherent thought slowly trickled back into Yachiyo's mind, but Iroha had more to say.

"I was… Worried you wouldn't take me seriously. We've known each other for so long and… To be honest, I wasn't taking myself very seriously either," The sound of a half-hearted laugh punctuated the end of her sentiment.

Yachiyo sat obediently, but she felt like her stomach had flipped over.

"I began to realize my feelings for you a while ago, actually. But I dismissed them at first, I consider you my closest friend, Yachiyo, and I don't want that to change no matter what,"

Yachiyo sat attentive, listening with her best neutral expression to allow her partner to finish without analyzing the reaction.

"But when I began school I met so many new people, and… Well, I wouldn't have had the courage to if it hadn't been for you all, of course, but I'm getting side-tracked…"

Yachiyo watched as Iroha smiled at the memory she was conjuring up and tucked the loose strand of hair behind her ear before continuing.

"...I was thinking about myself, and my life and I… When I think about who is important to me, and who is the most fun to be with... Who I trust the most, or who I want to be with forever- It's you, Yachiyo! It's always been you,"

Iroha suddenly looked like a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

She does look… Really nice. Red is a good color for her.

"...I thought it would be unfair to keep it from you," She added, reaching for and sipping the wine again. Her posture had relaxed with those words, and to everyone around her she suddenly looked comfortable in the outfit she wore.

Yachiyo took in the sight before her for a moment before remembering she had to respond. She placed both of her hands in her lap, and made direct eye contact.

"I'm sorry, I can't return your feelings,"

Surprise was obvious on Iroha's face, then hurt in quick succession. She exhaled slowly and smiled, though it was far from genuine.

"Aha… I thought that's what you'd say," Clearly making an effort to disguise her feelings, she succeeded and looked only mildly disappointed.

"I really hope we can still be friends, I'd like that,"

She started to stand up, the evening clearly not having gone as expected, "I'm sorry for wasting your time tonight, I'll see you at home?"

Not waiting for an answer, she drained the wine glass, left more than enough cash to cover for both drinks and a generous tip, swiftly grabbed her jacket... and left.  
It was all so fast Yachiyo didn't have time to get a word in before she was gone. She did have time, however, to be approached by the jokers in the back of the restaurant.


	2. The Date (B Side)

"What the heck was that!" Tsuruno started first, fuming.

Momoko reigned her in. "Calm down, it's obvious we misread the situation. Uh, we're going to have to apologize to Iroha..."

“I expect you to explain yourselves to me on the way home." Yachiyo demanded, she instantly felt a rush of relief at once again having the upper hand in the situation.

As she led the unruly group to her car, Mitama looked to her two co-conspirators and sighed before responding.

"Well, when Iroha came to us asking for help, we honestly thought the feelings she had were mutual,"

"Pardon?" A look of genuine worry cracked her scowl only for a second.

Mitama placed her forehead into her fingers, but Tsuruno was happy to supply, "You're just different when she's around, Master! You're relaxed and… You're always really happy when she's with you."

"But I'm always happy to be with everyone from Mikazuki house," Fighting the color on her face was impossible, hopefully the darkness of the parking lot would hide it.

"It's not the same thing!" Frustrated, Tsuruno backed off, apparently attempting to smother an outburst in the restaurant.

"How is she getting home?" Yachiyo asked, hoping to change the subject.

Momoko moved her fingers to her chin.

"That I don’t know… Iroha planned all of this, it never occurred to me she'd have an exit strategy,"

When they left the restaurant they found Iroha was indeed gone, and the rain had progressed into a downpour.

\------------------

_Is she going to kiss me?_

Panic set in; Then seeing that while her face was facing her, Yachiyo's gaze was angled at their friends, anger reared its head.

  
_She's not taking me seriously!_

Before Iroha could think of the consequences, her urge to be noticed quickened her ascent to meet the other woman's lips.

It wasn't the first time they'd kissed, of course.

Iroha easily conjured up the memory of that night where she’d had a little too much to drink while celebrating her 21st birthday. She'd stolen a quick peck on the lips from Yachiyo; She'd nearly missed.

It was actually the second time that gave her the courage to organize this whole evening; Yachiyo had given her a gentle kiss on the forehead when she was in bed recovering. She'd used too much magic during one of their hunts and had been unconscious for a time after, and the latter probably thought she was still asleep...

Still, that little action gave her just enough hope that maybe Yachiyo felt the same way she did.

But this wasn't a sweet act of sincerity, or a drunken act to be excused away later.  
This kiss had to have purpose!

...Maybe it was the wine talking.

Arrogantly, she ran her tongue over Yachiyo's bottom lip, and the memory of doing so would still bring color to her cheeks even years later.

The rest of that moment was a blur; On the outside she wore her anger about Yachiyo's blatant dismissal of her, but on the inside rode the excitement of her actions. The mixed energy somehow turned into an unplanned full confession.

"I'm sorry, I can't return your feelings,"

Yachiyo was always so succinct with what she had to say.

_I thought… Maybe she'd at least take some time to think about it before she rejected me._

Surprising even herself, she held it together just well enough to make it to the parking lot. Sana was waiting there in her car, "Miss Purrs", aptly named for the sound it made when the engine started.

As Iroha entered the car, it did just that.

The driver looked startled and moved around a little frantically turning off the radio before stashing away a book she’d been reading. One look at her passenger’s face told her most of what she needed to know.

“I-I’m sorry, Iroha,”

Iroha pulled her jacket around herself tighter and leaned heavily against the passenger door window.

"My time here was almost up, I thought maybe I'd be driving home by myself," She referred to the 30 minutes Iroha had asked her to stall in the parking lot in secret. Just in case.

"Do you, uhm... Want to talk about it?" Sana fidgeted with her rearview mirror, stealing glances at Iroha in an attempt to assess her well being without being invasive.

"...Not right now, I’m sorry," She used that same smile she’d used back in the restaurant, poorly masking her hurt.

"T-That's fine! But, if you ever do want to talk about it, I'm here ok?" This time, she looked long enough at her to receive a meaningful glance of reassurance as a response.

“Thanks,”

Sana set the car in reverse and the two rolled out of the parking lot and home. The quiet drive through the rain and streetlights brought both a sense of calm before pulling into her spot in front of the house.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Iroha announced, kicking off her shoes at the door. Without waiting for a response she quickly made her way upstairs.

Felicia, sprawled comfortably across the couch cradling a game controller, waited until she was out of earshot before remarking on their roommate, “It didn’t go well huh,”

Sana slowly shook her head. "Apparently not. I wonder what happened…" Sana breathed out a long sigh, as if exhaling the emotional baggage of her friend as well. "I really can't imagine what went wrong,"

"Maybe the waiter got their order wrong!" Felicia grinned at her own bad joke as Sana joined her on the couch.

"Oh, I'm sure that's it," She elbowed the other magical girl, sporting a cheeky grin of her own.

It wasn't too much longer before Yachiyo returned home, looking a bit more damp than when she'd left.

"Iroha-?"

"Upstairs. In the shower." Felicia responded curtly.

"Oh… Good…"

Without adding any information, she walked upstairs. She could hear the shower head running as she approached.

Yachiyo listened for a moment before knocking, "Iroha?"

There was no response, but Yachiyo suspected she had been heard. Goodness knows how many times Felicia had talked to her through the shower door, asking for permission to do things she knew Yachiyo would have to leap out of the shower to stop her from doing.

She'd been thinking about what to say to Iroha the whole walk home, but it still felt half-baked coming out. 

"Iroha, I'd like us to remain friends as well"

Inside the bathroom Iroha was still in her evening dress; Sitting on the floor, running the showerhead to drown out the sounds of her sniffling. It was almost impossible to hide delicate things like emotion in Mikazuki Villa, but not completely. 

At the sound of Yachiyo's voice she doubled down on the effort of holding in her sobs. 

After a moment of silence, Yachiyo continued, "I can't return your feelings, Iroha... But I care so deeply for you. We're a family, and when you're ready I would like to be close again,"

She added without thinking, 

"As if nothing has changed between us,"

The odd chill of her final remark settled between the two like a fog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have Chapter 3 nearly done, so it should be up faster than this one! The next one gets a lil spicy so I may have to look at the rating again before it goes up. 
> 
> It's just a lil spice I promise


	3. Snack Night

"Where is everyone?"

It was the first time Iroha spoke to Yachiyo today. She took off her shoes in the doorway and looked everywhere but Yachiyo's face.

"Tsuruno is at her training camp, and Felicia is with her. Sana's book club started tonight, so she won't be back until tomorrow either,"

Yachiyo abruptly realized she'd been preparing dinner for just the two of them… Awkward.

Iroha looked crestfallen for a moment.

"Well, I'll be in my room-"

Yachiyo blurted out suddenly, "How about having a snack night together?"

They both looked surprised at the suggestion, and Iroha finally made eye contact with the other woman. It startled her into continuing, as if she didn't want to hear Iroha say no.

"I can put this in the fridge, I mean I haven't really prepped much," She shuffled around behind the counter uncharacteristically nervous.

Iroha couldn't stand the sight and struggled to keep the thoughts of how cute she looked from her face. It was unusual to see her caught off-guard. "Oh, uh… Sure. Let me change into my pajamas then,"

"O-okay!"

Yachiyo turned to the refrigerator silently hoping they actually had snacks to share. A snack night with no forbidden snacks would be disappointing to say the least.

Upstairs, Iroha couldn't help but regret her answer. 'Snack night' was always something they shared together; An excuse to clear out the kitchen of any delicacy that was too small a portion to share with the entire Mikazuki family… With drinks to match, of course. It was a special routine for the two of them, and with recent events in mind Iroha worried her mood would sour a normally fun occasion.

Downstairs, Yachiyo's search had been luckily fruitful in every sense of the word. No one wanted to be the person to take the last serving of anything in this house barring Felicia, who wasn't a fan of fruit. Or cheese, apparently. Adding some crackers, leftover chocolates (previously well hidden in the freezer) and a nicer than usual red wine and they had enough finger food to get through a couple of cheesy movies.

By the time Iroha returned downstairs Yachiyo was heading up them. Iroha got a little flustered over the near collision on the stairway, but Yachiyo just appeared excited about the evening ahead.

"Find a movie while I get dressed,"

"O-okay!"

Normally on snack night they'd start with something tooth-achingly sweet and from there it could go in any direction. The usual fanfare of a dopey romance seemed tasteless… But breaking the routine felt more wrong than rejecting Yachiyo's earnest suggestion for snack night.

Iroha finally settled on an old favorite hoping the familiarity with the title was enough to make it a comfort.

By the time Yachiyo returned, Iroha had already poured drinks for the two of them and was lightly sipping her own.

"Have a seat!"

Iroha was gracefully forcing a smile as she patted the seat on the couch next to her, and for a moment Yachiyo hesitated. Debating with herself smothered her excitement levels significantly.

_I don't want to hurt her._

As she approached the couch and sat down, she forced her own smile. "What did you pick?"

_She's hurt and I want to comfort her, but I'm the one who hurt her._

As Iroha hit play on her choice, Yachiyo expressed pleasant surprise. "I didn't think you'd choose this one,"

_I can't be selfish like this._

As the opening played, they both got comfortable on the couch, leaning back and pulling their legs up. Iroha naturally leaned on her shoulder like she always did, but this time it felt different.

_...Just one more night. Just this one, and I'll start to withdraw earnestly._

Guilt rushed her conscious but Yachiyo distracted herself with a handful of leftover grapes and a quick glance at her partner's face; Iroha looked at ease. The movie's iconic theme was working it's magic already.

At the beginning of the evening the two stayed mostly silent, watching the old favorite unfold in a predictable series of events. The occasional comment broke the silence but neither of the two could break the attention the story demanded.

"You know, I always thought you two were alike," Iroha voiced nonchalantly over the introduction of the movie's main antagonist.

Yachiyo eyed the curvy character in spandex, completely bewildered.

"I don't see the resemblance," She deadpanned, squinting at the screen.

Iroha suddenly regretted saying it out loud and struggled to explain, "Well, she's like… An undercover spy,"

Seeing Yachiyo becoming more confused only spurred her onward, "She starts off kind of aloof and mysterious at the beginning, but underneath she's actually quite caring," Her face flushed, "And she's blue,"

For whatever the reason, the last comment struck a nerve in Yachiyo and her scrutinous glare broke into a smile and a laugh. She covered her sudden fit of laughter with the hand that had previously been buried in a bowl of popcorn.

Iroha's pink cheeks didn't ebb, but seeing Yachiyo's genuine delight made her take the reaction in good fun.

"What?!" Came the indignant cry.

"I just expected something with… More depth I guess," Yachiyo was smiling. "Like her spandex," she deadpanned.

With this, even Iroha lost herself to a fit of giggles, and whatever tension had been building in the air vanished. From that moment on, the two were able to talk casually throughout the movie, neither thinking too hard about the other.

Long after the film's credits rolled, and a second, much cheesier movie had run it's full course late night tv took its place on the screen, providing mind-numbing distraction for the two. With the house unusually dark and silent it felt for a moment like they were alone together.

Iroha, having drained her last glass, unabashedly took in the sight of her partner. Yachiyo was laying on her back; She looked a bit tired, but comfortable. She was absentmindedly smiling at the screen as she scooped a few stray kernels of popcorn out of the bottom of the bowl. Iroha hadn't seen Yachiyo this calm since the date, and she was relieved to see the other woman could still relax around her like this.

Time to ruin it.

"Hey, Yachiyo?"

"Mmm?" She responded without even looking back at Iroha, who at this point, was completely on top of her while she laid on her back on the couch.

"Can I kiss you?"

Her tone was so casual it betrayed the severity of the question, and as a result it hung in the air for what felt like forever.

_...Just for tonight._

The thought faintly echoed in Yachiyo's mind, "...Sure,"

Her response was the same unreadable tone as the question. There wasn't a reaction for Iroha to read into so she just leaned over as quick as she'd asked and kissed her full on the lips.

Iroha's lips were soft but firm against her own, purposeful. The action was so sweet she couldn't muster enough strength to resist when Iroha decided to take it further; Using her mouth to gently push Yachiyo's lips apart to deepen the kiss.

Yachiyo briefly mused with mirth that Iroha must be overexcited, or perhaps inexperienced with the action as she seemed to be rushing what was already a good sensation. Still, her intent was clear and Yachiyo was more than happy to comply.

When Iroha broke the kiss a moment later she didn't move away, but instead lingered with their noses almost touching, hovering above her face with her eyes closed. Her breath was hot, caressing her face once, then twice...

Before it could happen a third time, Yachiyo's restraint gave way suddenly and she threw one of her arms around the back of Iroha's neck, pulling her into another kiss.

They only paused briefly to look for permission to continue, both responding physically. Iroha moved her mouth from Yachiyo's lips to her jaw, then behind her ear as if filling out a frantically thrown together checklist.

Yachiyo's response was to lean her head to the side and allow Iroha all the access she wanted, a low groan making its way out of her throat despite herself. She didn't realize how badly she wanted to be touched; Iroha's hands were tragically busy holding her position against the couch, and she ached to have them elsewhere. Years of denying her feelings surfaced all at once, and she suddenly felt more sensitive and needy than she could recall feeling ever before. Yachiyo vaguely wondered when Iroha had climbed on top of her; The pressure one of her legs created between her own quickly became another source of heat. One of Yachiyo's hands moved to the back of her partner's head, eagerly threading fingers through her pink locks and guiding her along her neck to the places she'd missed in her haste. She sucked in another breath through clenched teeth in an attempt to muffle a higher, less dignified sound threatening to come forth.

The moment was still heated when Iroha suddenly broke away. Her hair was in disarray and her eyes were dark as she looked down at her partner breathing hard, as if her own restraint hung on by a thread.

"...Well," She panted, "I think you might be… Attracted to me,"

The remark was brazen and even with the last few moments in mind and marks beginning to darken along her throat, Yachiyo still began to open her mouth in defense.

Iroha interrupted, "Your hand,"

Yachiyo hadn't been completely aware of it until her attention was brought to it, but her other hand had snaked its way up Iroha's chest, hiking her shirt up quite far.

"...Is undressing me," She finished.

She flushed a darker pink and quickly snatched back her hand which elicited an involuntary noise from Iroha. A minute passed between them allowing them both to cool down a little. Iroha broke the silence, slowly regaining control of her affection.

"Why…?"

Yachiyo flinched at the question, it was if cold rain had just doused her. Her expression became serious as she gathered her thoughts. The change in temperature caused the other woman panic, and she started trying to fill in the silence with her own words.

"Maybe you're attracted to me, but you don't love me? Listen, I'd… I'd be okay-"

"No, it's not that,"

Yachiyo was now looking directly at Iroha. She reluctantly shifted her position so she was sitting against the arm of the couch with Iroha sitting on her legs.

"I've lived much longer than a magical girl is supposed to live, you know that. My magic is slowly getting weaker,"

Iroha looked away instantly, refusing to acknowledge the group's most forbidden and unspoken thought about their veteran member.

"Look at me, please,"

Iroha dutifully turned and in the moment she felt as helpless as she had when they first met.

"I've thought about this. A lot. Ever since I developed feelings for you," Yachiyo's eyes softened, and she gently cupped the other woman's cheek.

Iroha was clearly biting back the urge to interrupt her, to change the subject and bury the ugly truth once again.

This was so hard. She still hadn't hammered out the right way to say this in her head; She was exhausted, even a bit tipsy, but it had to be said.

"I can't… Indulge my feelings for you, it would be selfish. Terribly selfish of me to keep you from loving someone you could spend the rest of your time with,"

The vulnerability late evening could bring left Iroha plainly displaying the turmoil that assailed her, unimpeded by the usual distractions she would use during the day to deflect it.

"I'm sorry," She longed to draw the other woman into a hug.

Iroha looked small.

"No, no… I'm sorry," Iroha answered quickly as she looked down.  
"I didn't mean for… I didn't mean for it to go this way,"

Yachiyo's heart broke further seeing how close Iroha was to tears. She acted on her urge to comfort, drawing the younger woman into an embrace.

"I didn't either… I should've addressed it sooner. I know everyone can feel how faint my magic has become,"

Iroha didn't respond, but Yachiyo could feel her body was stiff, as if straining to hold back tears. They sat like that for a long while, as credits to the movie they'd watched droned on in the background.

Yachiyo spoke quietly as Iroha relaxed in her arms, "Do you… Want to watch one more movie? It would be a shame to end the night like this,"

She felt her partner move her head up and down in a positive response and the two returned to their original cuddling position. They were both quiet for the rest of the evening but Iroha tightened her grip on Yachiyo just a little bit tighter after that.

When Sana returned in the morning and found the two on the couch still locked in an embrace and completely asleep, she smiled to herself, relieved they had made up.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for any weird canon diversion! I've only played the NA translated version of the game and even then I wrote this before the ending of the first (and last?) NA story arc ended, so some things are probably wrong. 
> 
> Despite the fact I wrote this to be totally self-indulgent I hope at least one person other than me enjoys it!


End file.
